Shongweni Sharks Trail Adventure day well supported
The Sharks Trail Adventure was a good family day outing.
Andrew Hill made it three from three when he clinched victory in the 40km Half Marathon MTB race of the STIHL Sharks Trail Adventure at Summerveld Estate, capping off yet another memorable day of family fun and trail adventure through the scenic Shongweni region.
The event’s four mountain bike and two trail runs, staging of the renowned Shongweni Farmers Market, a live performance by The Kickstands and the presence of the Cell C Sharks players and their mascot Sharkie added to the day’s magical atmosphere.
Hill was pleased with his third consecutive victory in the event’s mountain biking feature race.
“It’s really nice to be able to get a third win in a row here at the Sharks Trail Adventure and while it may not have been the most potent field from an elite riders point of view, to stay injury free and not have any mechanicals three years in a row is quite tough so I’m really pleased,” said Hill.
Hill also praised the organisers for the event’s unique atmosphere and all-round high standards.
“The route was probably a bit tougher than it was last year but it was a significant improvement and funnily enough we actually went quicker this year than we did last!” said Hill. “The Sharks Trail Adventure is just such a great event. The numbers were up again this year, the atmosphere of the whole day is just unbelievable.”
Tanya Ortlepp took the win in the 40km women’s clash while youngsters Joshua Morck and Sabine Thies were the first men’s and women’s riders across the line in the 20km Intermediate race respectively.
The well supported 18km Trail run saw Jonathan Edwards post a four minute win over Gareth Harrington, with last year’s runner up Owen Bengo having to settle for third, while Xoli Madida retained her women’s title. Solicitor Manduwa and Nondumiso Khoza lead the pack home in the 9km men’s and women’s tussles respectively.
The 10km Family Ride and Sharkie Kids Ride saw hundreds of cycling enthusiasts young and old enjoy some time in the saddle while the Cell C Sharks players took the opportunity to give back to their fans by assisting with the day’s water tables, mingling with the crowd and participating in an autograph signing session.
More results van be found at www.sharkstrailadventure.co.za.
